Venus Butterfly
by Noizchild Johnson
Summary: Fifteenth book in "Ghost Doll." One confession in San Diego, California from Anna's aunt, Allison, was all it took to trigger the Mother Kitsune to take over Anna's body to merge with her soul as the curse demanded. Now, Tsuzuki has to deal with a bitter, vengeful, oversexed kitsune controlling his wife's body while he finds a way to get Anna back.
1. Catalyst Confession

Venus Butterfly

_Chapter One: Catalyst Confession:_

_San Diego, California, July 1st, 2010, 11:00 p.m._

Allison Parkman sat in her dull, plush green recliner in her living room with company. Her mismatched blue and brown eyes looked dulled over with sentiment.

"I didn't know her too well," Allison said in a drunken haze as she held onto her glass of half-empty Scotch, "I felt so lonely after returning to America. I always wondered if I had stayed. He insisted that I leave." Allison chuckled to herself, "I never forgot about her, though. I always bought stuffed animals placed them in her room in this house as birthday present every year." She buried her head in her hands, "I only held her once in Japan."

Becky, who sat across from her on the couch, looked at her curiously. "What are you talking about, Ms. Parkman?" she asked.

Allison gave her a dazed-over look through her pale, bony fingers, "Anna," she said, "I'm her mother."

Becky's jaw dropped as her eyes widened. "What?!" she yelped.

"I am Anna's mother," Allison repeated. Usually, she spoke gibberish when drunk. This time, however, felt like a true confession of a deeper sort. Those words from Allison's mouth drove Becky Campbell to make that call.

—

Meifu, Japan, July 2nd, 2010, 3:15 p.m.

Anna's phone buzzed on the side table in the apartment living room. Tsuzuki had just walked in while his wife was down the hall in the shower when he noticed it.

"Anna-chan, your phone!" he shouted, "Anna-chan!" The phone kept buzzing.

"Anna-chan?" Tsuzuki asked. Suddenly, the phone stopped. Tsuzuki looked around, rather nervous. _What should I do?_ His eyes trailed back to the phone as he bit his lower lip.

"Asato-kun?" he heard seconds later. The shinigami leapt around to see Anna standing in the hallway in a bathrobe.

"Oh, it's you," Tsuzuki said, calming down.

"Yes," Anna said looking puzzled, "You're home early."

"Yeah," he said, "I forgot something this morning." Anna still looked at him oddly.

"You look like you saw the devil, is something wrong?" she pointed out. Tsuzuki cleared his throat.

"You have a missed call," he pointed out.

"Hm?" his wife asked. She walked over and picked up her phone. Tsuzuki watched as she dialed her voicemail. The message lasted for five minutes and Anna lowered her phone with a pale face.

"Anna-chan?" Tsuzuki asked. His wife didn't speak; she wandered back to their bedroom. The shinigami's face filled with worry.

_Anna-chan…_, he thought, unaware of what was to unfold next.


	2. Traitor

_Chapter Two: Traitor:_

His trust was broken; everything about him shattered. Hisoka sat in the back seat, gazing out the window. Tsuzuki and Tatsumi drove him to the psychiatrist ward this morning. Konoe gave him the option. Hisoka could've been fired for missing work, severely punished for drug use, and smitten for his ties with Jessie. However, his good work record and Tsuzuki's pleas spared him such.

"He was in a bad place," he told the Hakushaku, "This wasn't like him!"

"But how can you be so sure that this won't happen again?" the older man asked.

"He needs help!" Tsuzuki insisted, "Don't ruin him like this!"

"You know," Hakushaku spoke up, "I'm curious about something."

Tsuzuki peered at him. "What?" he asked.

The Hakushaku rose to his feet. "Back in October," he began, "I blew out Kimoto-san's candle. Funny thing about that was it flared back up on its own. I can't figure it out."

Tsuzuki fought to keep his poker face at that question. "I have no idea," he lied.

Hakushaku had no needed comment to give for that response. Needless to say, the higher-ups decided to be lenient on Hisoka on the condition that he got help and completed it.

Tsuzuki walked around and opened the car door for his partner. "We're here," he said in a low voice. Hisoka glared with contempt as he didn't move.

Tsuzuki already knew what his partner was thinking. "Look," the older Shinigami told him, "I'm sorry that I didn't notice your feelings for me. If I had…" Tsuzuki lowered his head, "but this is the least I can do." Hisoka gave him a cold look as he snorted.

_Lies, it was all lies_, he thought, _You are just a liar!_ The younger shinigami refused to trust such a beautiful face anymore. He used to love Tsuzuki with all of his being. However, another traitor came along and poisoned that trust. Hisoka's mouth twitched when an image of Anna came into his mind. _Why did he bind her soul to her body?_

"Tsuzuki-san!" Tatsumi called up ahead, "Come on, we have to go!" Tsuzuki fought to pull himself together; he nodded with pain in his heart.

"Let's go," he said. The shinigami helped Hisoka out of the car. The younger partner clenched his fists.

_You betrayed me! I hoped you would love me back!_ The sliding glass doors welcomed him to his three month Hell. Tsuzuki and Jessie betrayed his trust with lies. Now, he was reduced down to this. Each step to the front desk reminded him of this self-loathing.

_They turned me into this! Give me back, all of it!_

They walked up to the front desk. Tatsumi did all of the talking to the receptionist. Tsuzuki had his head down the whole time. Hisoka gritted his teeth and swore to himself.

_Why am I the one getting punished? This is all _her_ fault._

In his eyes, she had a hand in ruining the trust between him and his partner. Because of her, he ended up pushed to this point. Hisoka looked up and happened to see three patients staring at him from behind the glass of the main activity room. Just by the empty glazed looks in their eyes, he could tell what they were thinking.

_Fresh meat!_

_How long will this one last?_

_I bet he won't last long!_

Their stares made Hisoka's blood burn. _I hate you, Tsuzuki! I will never forgive you!_

Tatsumi filled out the paperwork and signed it. Tsuzuki reluctantly signed the dotted line as well. _I'm so sorry, Hisoka; I just want to help you. Just trust me again for this._ He knew it was too late right now. Tsuzuki patted Hisoka on the shoulder before leaving with Tatsumi. Hisoka looked back as the nurse took him away.

_I hate you, Tsuzuki. I hate everyone!_


	3. Honey-Flavored

_Chapter Three: Honey-Flavored:_

Tsuzuki came home that evening. Today felt so empty; it felt strange not having Hisoka there to nag him. The older shinigami couldn't take seeing the bitter hate in his partner's eyes. No apology could fix this mess anymore.

"Just leave him alone," Tatsumi told his former partner as they left the rehab center, "Kurosaki needs time to recover. It's best not to see him for a while." Tsuzuki couldn't accept hearing that, but what else could he do? Tatsumi _did_ have a point. Tsuzuki leaned against the door and sighed. He wished he could just forget about his partner for one moment. Tatsumi stayed with him until he went home. Now, Tsuzuki just wanted to forget about today in a sleep of sea.

"Welcome home," a flirty voice greeted him. Tsuzuki looked up to see Anna sitting on the couch. Her husband looked at her with worn out eyes.

"I'm home," he murmured likewise. His wife gave him a rather peculiar look.

"Are you okay?" Anna asked. Tsuzuki shook his head.

"We took Hisoka in today," he said. It hurt inside to repeat that. The man already had to try and battle his guilt to get through the day. He had almost boxed it away too.

"Oh," Anna said quietly. Tsuzuki eyed his wife as he tried to put on another upbeat mask.

"What about you?" he asked, "Are you okay now?" Anna rose to her feet and walked over to him. Her hands gently caressed his broad shoulders before her fingertips grazed his cheeks.

"Yes," she whispered at his lips, "I'm much calmer now." She gave him a small butterfly kiss. Tsuzuki took her into his arms almost unconsciously. The kiss lingered on heated before he broke off.

"What was the matter?" he asked in a whisper in her hair. Anna lifted her head and looked him in the eye.

"I just had a little shock earlier," she said in a matter of fact tone. Her hands slid down to his tie.

"What kind of shock?" the shinigami asked as his mind struggled to not be aroused at this second. Anna untied his tie with such quick movements in her dainty hands.

"Family shock," she replied with a soft, glazed over look in her hazel-green eyes. Her lips rested against his neck. She tried to use the taste to dull out any negative feelings that lingered on in her head from the phone message Becky left her hours earlier. Right now, she couldn't bring herself to look up at her husband with her own bitterness.

"From California?" Tsuzuki asked rather puzzled. Anna pulled away his tie as if slowly pulling away the ribbon from a gift and rested her head against his chest.

"My aunt is really my mother," she murmured. Her mind replayed the whole phone message in her head. Tsuzuki glanced down at her.

"What?" he asked. His wife shushed him by putting her finger to his lips. She gave him an angelic smile.

"Let's forget for tonight," she whispered, putting on her husky, siren-like tone in her voice. Tsuzuki drew his mouth closed as his violet eyes locked on hers. Something felt off about this. Her flirtation had a rather deviant aura around it. Instinct told him to stop her, to push her away.

Anna moved in for another kiss. "Forget," she murmured, "Just forget. For me, please?" Her lips gently pressed against his. That kiss was all it took for her to obey her soft, cunning words. Once they slipped into his head, his only need sprung wide awake. The shinigami picked her up and led her back to their bedroom.

Anna pushed Tsuzuki back onto the bed. He looked at her with the overwhelming need to escape from today. She looked like a starved Junoesque goddess about to devour him. His wife slid off her light pink cherry-print dress with a hungry look in her eyes. She inched the material upwards so that her husband could take in her curved body as his own heat munched away at what was left of his resistance. It barely made a sound when it hit the floor.

Tsuzuki's head began to swim as he couldn't take his eyes off of his wife. The black strapless bra with her matching panties raised high stakes for him tonight. The moonlight from the window teased the view before him, tempting him to take a bite. His eyes wandered up and down her curved body. The hungry look in her eyes only pushed the temptation into further speeds.

_When did Anna-chan get this erotic?_ He wondered as his wife grabbed onto his trousers. Her eyes stared deep into his as she unhooked the belt and unzipped his pants. Little beads of sweat broke out all over his skin. They've made love many times, but tonight felt different. The shinigami wasn't sure what to make of this quite yet. However, something inside of him didn't want it to stop. This wasn't about distraction anymore. Tsuzuki reached up to grab onto the bra, but Anna seized his wrists and pushed them back. Her husband whimpered at her. The woman resembled an angel when she shook her head at him.

"No?" he asked.

"Uh-uh," Anna replied. She slipped her hands behind her back and began unhooking her bra, one hook at a time. The craving to touch her only intensified as the black satin fell away from her shapely bosom, leaving them exposed to his hungry eyes. His hands wanted to help finish undressing her, but her eyes told him that she would deny him that pleasure again. She giggled at his tormented state as she rolled off her panties. Tsuzuki gulped and shut his eyes.

"Take me," he whimpered, "I can't take this anymore. Please, take me, Anna-chan." She licked her lips at him once she was certain that she had his full attention.

"You're in good hands tonight," Anna said in a husky, seductive voice in his burning ear, "I will make it all go away. Just relax." Tsuzuki shivered as his wife rolled down his trousers and boxers. His hands inched forward to embrace her by her narrow waist. His eyes hazed over in pleasure as she sank down on his heated, hard skin.

_A boy of nineteen years old awoke to angelic singing floating through his ears. This type sounded rather different in that the suggested a lusty message distant to his innocent mind. He drew open his deep violet eyes with a light heat flowing through his body._

_Two great cotton candy-colored wings drew his attention to a fair-skinned angel floating before him. Her shoulder-length auburn hair flowed in the heated breeze. She only wore lacy black and pink bra with matching panties. An aura of deep deviance flowed around her Junoesque-like figure, almost like a siren song luring sailors to their deaths on the islands._

_The lovely angel held out her dainty hand to the young man in invitation. He blinked as he pointed to his nose. The angel's eyes confirmed that he was right. The young man didn't know how to take this offer. Despite her goddess-like beauty, something warned him to stay away. She could be luring him to his death like an actual siren. The lad couldn't really tell with such a beautiful face before him._

_He finally took hold of her graceful hand. The angel closed her eyes and murmured a chant under her breath. The lad shielded his eyes as a blinding thick wave swirled in his mind. Heavy images swallowed him up as she drew him in deeper within her world. Two women in yellow and red silk robes and gold wings rode past him on a white horse. He barely caught a glance of them with their gold and diamond jewelry on their bodies, but he heard their honey-coated voices cry out to him in song._

"_Look out!" they cried, "Look out! She's going to kill you! Please turn away! Turn away!" The lad couldn't grasp what they were warning him. His ears caught a high-pitched whistle before he could ask. He winced as he whipped around. His nubile angel floated above him with a large knife in her hands. Her wings and hair turned a cold black as the wind grew sharper around them. The lad couldn't move as his heart pounded against his chest. His eyes widened at this honey-scented trap sailing down towards._

"_My beloved, please die!" she cried out to him._

_Suddenly, a small whisper filled his ears._


	4. Kitsune Megami

_Chapter Four: Kitsune Megami:_

Tsuzuki awoke to hear humming the next morning. He drew open his tired violet eyes to see a woman standing naked near the open window. He narrowed his eyes as he looked her up and down. A confused expression came on his face.

_Fox ears?_ he thought. This nude curved woman turned around. Tsuzuki tried to understand what he saw.

"Anna-chan?" he asked. One look in her eyes made him bolt sitting up. "No," he said, shaking his head, "Who are you?" The woman smirked at him before she walked over and knelt down.

"Don't you recognize me?" the temptress asked, "You should." Tsuzuki stared into her amber eyes. Shock raced through his body.

"You're…" he gasped.

"Yes," the woman replied, "I am the Mother as you label me as." Tsuzuki's body went stiff all over.

"No…" he murmured. The kitsune kissed him on the lips. His hands reluctantly reached up to hold her. The Mother pushed him away when she sensed his fingertips getting close to her skin.

"Believe me now?" she asked. Tsuzuki sat in stunned silence as his mouth dug for something to say. The kitsune smirked at him.

"Pathetic," she said. Her husband blinked as he tried to get it together.

"Why are you here?" he asked. The kitsune leaned back with her ample bust in full view.

"Why else?" she asked, "I'm fulfilling the curse."

"But why?" the shinigami asked, "I thought you wanted to put an end to it all." The kitsune stretched out her slender left leg.

"I do," she replied, "it's all part of my plan."

"Your plan?" Tsuzuki asked in shock. The Mother in Anna's body smirked at him.

"Why, yes," she said, "I've been waiting for a long time for this." She walked over to the closet. "The family is corrupt," she said, "They must be wiped out. Anna's going to help me do it."

"But, why?" Tsuzuki asked clutching the sheets, "Why her?" The kitsune tried not to laugh.

"Why?" she repeated with her back turned, "You sound just like her father." She shook her head. "He asked the same thing," the kitsune said, "Do you know what I said?" She looked for something to wear. A smirk came onto her face.

"'Does there _have_ to be a reason?'" the Mother replied, "It was all random. My first choice was his younger sister, Kirika, but their mother killed her." She sighed and picked out a yellow and red sundress. "Kirika would've given me the perfect offspring to merge with," the Mother lamented, "After she died, I chose the first girl born at random."

"Which was Anna," Tsuzuki said. The kitsune held up the dress to her chest in the mirror.

"Correct," she said, "What's worse is her father sealed me away all of those years!" Her tone sounded like hot acid. Tsuzuki shifted in the futon.

"Is that why you hate Daisuke-san so much?" he asked. The Mother turned to him, frowning.

"What do you think?" her eyes asked for her. The shinigami closed his mouth. The Mother smirked as her mood changed. "The best part about my revenge?" she asked, "I will live out that man's greatest fear. Once I merge with his beloved daughter, nothing will stop me!" Tsuzuki felt his stomach turn as he clutched their sheets again. She licked her lips at his discomfort.

"Oh, sweetie," the mother cooed, "I need you to do me a little favor."

"What?" he hissed. The wife walked over and knelt into his ear.

"Don't get in my way," she whispered, "Because, I can't guarantee I won't attack if you if do." Her sweet-sounding voice stung worse than a wasp. The kitsune smiled as she pulled away. As she walked away to the bathroom, Tsuzuki's mind sprung into alarm.

_I have to stop her and get Anna-chan back!_ he thought. The shinigami already saw how this happened. The Mother must have taken hold when Anna learned the truth about her mother in San Diego. That kitsune waited for the right moment to exact her revenge on Daisuke and the rest of the Eda-Kimoto clan. Even worse, she used him to strength herself through feeding last night. Once she had her power stable enough, the mother took over. Tsuzuki lowered his head.

"How did I not see it in time?" he muttered. The man fell back in his futon. Lucky for him, he had the right help to fix this brewing mess. The only problem was keeping quiet about this for the time being.


	5. Less Than Ordinary Afterlife

_Chapter Five: Less Than Ordinary Afterlife:_

-Kyosuke-

Ever have one of those where you wonder, "How the fuck did I end up like this?" I'm having one right now.

Let me back up here.

I'm Urahara Kyosuke, age twenty-three and I am the second oldest of five kids. To understand me, I will talk about my family. My older brother is Urahara Sosuke. He's twenty-nine and we haven't heard from him in years. We don't know what happened to him. I hope that he is okay.

The oldest girl, Urahara Mitsuko, age twenty. She basically holds the family together and I can count on her for anything. However, she does have her moments. I'll get into that later.

My youngest brother is Mamoru. He's eighteen and just started college. He is really good at tennis and protecting the girls in his life; I would say that he's like a mix of Sosuke and I.

Finally, there is the baby of the family. Her name is Kimi and she's sixteen. She's been spoiled even before our parents died. My family is important to me; they are my strongest motive. I would be lost without them.

Which leads back to today.

July eighth started out normal. Mitsuko and Mamoru already went to work and school respectively. Kimi and I got into a big fight that morning. I don't remember what it was about. I think I asked her to do something for me and she got mad at me.

"I hate you, brother!" Kimi screamed, "I wish you would just die!" I waved her off and walked out the door. That is the last thing I heard her say.

I worked at Tokyo University as a teaching assistant. I shouldn't have gotten on the train that morning. There was a maintenance problem on the train that I rode. As a result, I ended up on a thirty minutes delay.

_Oh come on_, I remember thinking as I got my coffee, _I can't afford to be late._ I looked at my watch. Well, I could make a quick call. I pulled out my phone and dialed Kimi's cell. I looked at the crowd waiting for the train as the other line rang.

"Come on," I muttered into the mouthpiece. "Pick up! Please pick up!"

"This is Kimi's phone," her voicemail said, "I can't be reached. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you. Love ya!" I groaned at the beep.

"Hey Kimi-chan," I said, "It's me, Kyosuke. I just wanted to call and say I'm sorry and I hope you have good day. I'm heading out now; I'll see you this evening. I love you, goodbye." I sent the message and hung up hoping it smoothed things over. I bought a newspaper and waited for the subway.

About nine o'clock, my train pulled up at the station. I packed up my paper and got on board. My day started to change when the doors closed.

I should've known something was wrong when the wheels outside made a horrible screeching noise. Everyone else noticed as well.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing technical difficulties. Please bear with us" the announcer called over loudspeaker. The passengers around me groaned. I couldn't erase this bad feeling in my gut. I bit my lower lip. I could just get off here wait for the next train…

Suddenly, the train shook as it sped up. I held onto the hanger strap and shut my eyes. I could barely hear my teeth grinding in mouth over the screaming.

"Oh no!" a woman cried.

"We're all going to die!" another woman yelled.

"I don't want to die here!" a student cried. Their screams blended together with the screeching steel and grinding wheels. The last thought that entered my mind was of Kimi. The white haze reached towards me.

The giant steel body collided with the wall. Seventy-six people were injured and thirty died in the crash.

I awoke in pitch darkness.


	6. Blue Japanese

_Chapter Six: Blue Japanese:_

Hisoka sat in Tana-san's office. His smiled looked so twisted.

_Oh great_, he thought, _of all people, it had to be her. Traitors all of them!_ Tana pulled out her tape recorder.

"Shall we begin?" she asked. Hisoka sneered at her. The therapist opened her notes.

"Okay," Tana said. She hit record on the machine.

"July eighth, 2010," she began, "I, Fujimoto Tana-sensei, am here we patient, Kurosaki Hisoka. Session one starts now." She turned to the patient.

"Kurosaki-kun," Tana addressed, "Talk to me. What's on your mind?" The shinigami wouldn't speak. His cold look said, "I don't want to be here." Tana laced her hands together.

"That's okay, we can take out time with this session" she said. Tana took more notes.

"Why?" Hisoka asked. The therapist glanced up at him.

"Why what, Kurosaki-kun?" she asked.

"Why do you even care?" he asked. Tana straightened up her glasses.

"Tatsumi asked me to help," she explained, "Tsuzuki insisted on getting the best help for you." She noticed him sneering at him.

"Is something wrong?" Tana asked. Hisoka didn't answer, but she already figured it out. The therapist changed tactics.

"You know," she said, "Tsuzuki-san expressed some bitterness in your partnership as of late. Do you want to talk about that?" Hisoka snorted and turned away.

"Fine," Tana said, "I'll do the talking for now." She flipped the page in her notes. "The way I heard it," the therapist began, "You have feelings for your partner. However, he's married to Kimoto-Tsuzuki-san. Tell me about your feelings for Tsuzuki." Tana observed his facial expression.

Hearing that again made Hisoka want to vomit; she just had to go there. Hisoka gritted his teeth.

"I don't want to talk about him," he muttered. Tana glanced up at him.

"Why not?" she asked, "You thought he was the one, didn't you? You saw him as your true love. Instead, he broke your heart when he fell in love with Kimoto-Tsuzuki-san." Tana turned the page in her notes. Hisoka's eyes filled with venom.

"Yet, I'm curious about something," the therapist said. She waited for Hisoka to respond. When he didn't Tana stuck the knife in deeper.

"You are so much stronger than all of this," she told him, "Why are you driving yourself to destruction? What's holding you back from letting go?" Hisoka clenched his fists at her words.

"If he really is 'the one' for you," she drove home, "Don't you want what's best for him? Shouldn't you be happy for him and his wife?" Hisoka rose to his feet and stormed out of the room.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Tana called out, "Come back, the session's not over yet!"

"I don't care! I don't have to hear this bullshit!" the shinigami yelled back. He slammed the door hard enough to shake the frame on his way out. Tana closed her notes and turned to the recorder.

"This ends session one," she said before hitting the stop button.


	7. Fox is the Devil

_Chapter Seven: Fox is the Devil:_

The Mother needed to test her strength before acting. She decided to use Chijou as her playground this morning. Anna's body helped her blend in. First, she needed a victim. The Mother wanted someone pure with skeletons in their closet. Anna already objected to this plan.

"Oh come on, Anna-chan; this could be fun." the Mother said, "I have to test my powers." A tasty idea crossed her mind as she smirked, "Hey, I have a little bet for you," she said, "If you let me stabilize my power…." The heavy traffic rushed by the woman. The Mother grinned at the silence.

"Good," she cooed, "I'm glad you understand." She walked across the crosswalk.

The Mother came to a Woman's Advocate Building downtown. She waited by the entrance and used her senses to "fish" for her prey. The hunt lasted for one minute. She opened her eyes and smirked. The meeting would be over in twenty minutes.

Close to eleven o'clock, the Mother watched the ladies exit the building. The smells of their souls teased her, tempted her. She used her years of experience to control her appetites until her target came out. Her attention focused on the last woman to exit the Woman's Advocate Building. The Mother studied her target. Akiyama Mikiko, aged forty-five, married with two children. Oh, her scent was intoxicating. The Mother walked over to her target.

"Excuse me, miss?" she addressed her. Akiyama paused and looked up. The Mother stopped in front of her and gave her an innocent smile.

"Are you Akiyama Mikiko?" she asked. The other woman blinked at her.

"Yes," she replied. "May I ask why?" The Mother bowed gracefully.

"My name is Niwa Midori," she replied, "I have heard wonderful things about you." Akiyama began to smile.

"Oh," she said. "That's nice to hear." The woman stuck out her hand to the human-formed kitsune. Once she shook her hand, "Midori" saw her target's hidden crimes.

Akiyama's son, daughter, and even husband lived in fear of her. Every day, she tormented her family to be her idea of perfection. The daughter took pills to cope. Akiyama even killed her infant son after making him drink lighter fluid as punishment. The whole thing was passed off as an accident.

Midori smiled at this newfound information as she plotted the perfect murder. She drew back her hand.

"Say, have you had lunch yet?" she asked.

"No…" her target answered.

"Perfect!" Midori said as she took the woman by the shoulders. "I know just the place." She led her target across the street before she could argue.

They went an outdoor café. Akiyama fidgeted in her seat.

"Listen," she said, "I really need to get back."

"No, no," the kitsune insisted. "Stay. The food is really good here." Akiyama bit her lower lip.

"At least let me call home," she said, "I have to tell the maid about the mess in the kitchen and…."

"Don't bother," Midori interrupted. "Cell phone reception is tricky here. Sometimes it's perfect and other times it's just a dead zone." She looked around for a brief moment. "Yep," Midori said, "We're sitting in a dead zone."

"Well can't we move?" her target asked.

"What's the rush?" the Mother asked. "We have the best seat in the café. Stay, relax." Akiyama reluctantly lowered her hand. Midori patted her on the shoulder.

"That's better," she cooed. "Just sit and enjoy lunch." _It's your last meal after all_, she thought. Akiyama sat squirming. Midori timed the whole execution through their lunch. She didn't eat or order any food. Akiyama looked up from her Alfredo pasta with a puzzled look.

"Hm?" she asked as she spotted her companion's glass of wine, "That's all you're having?" Midori chuckled over her full glass.

"I'm not really hungry right now," she lied. Her target nodded uneasily.

"Okay…." she mumbled. Midori's face changed into a grim one.

"Actually, I haven't been fully honest with you," she admitted. "I have to tell you something." The target lowered her fork.

"What?" she asked. The Mother grabbed her by wrist and whispered something in her ear in a honey-sweet tone. Akiyama dropped her fork. She rose to her feet in a daze and began walking away.

"Hey!" Midori called out behind her, "You didn't order dessert! They have good cheesecake here!"

"No," her victim mumbled sadly as she walked to the guillotine in her mind, "I won't need it anymore."


	8. Lab Promise

_Chapter Eight: Lab Promise:_

Tsuzuki rushed to Watari's lab. On the way, he thought of how to word his worries. He could trust his good friend with something like this, right?

The man knocked on the door.

"It's open!" his friend replied. Tsuzuki slid back the door and went inside. He found Watari with Charlotte and Takashi again. His friend looked up from his research.

"Oh, Tsuzuki," he said. "Just the person I want to see." Tsuzuki froze and blinked at him.

"Why?" he asked in suspicion. Watari clapped his hands together.

"I have a couple questions for you," he said.

"Questions?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Yes," the blonde scientist said, "Wait here." He turned and went to the back room. The other shinigami took a seat. He looked other at the couple to his left.

"Hey, I know you," he said when he noticed Charlotte, "You're that hostess in that club back in Tokyo." The woman blinked at first.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But do I know you?"

"I apologize," Tsuzuki said. "My name is Tsuzuki Asato." The hostess still looked confused.

"I'm Charlotte," she replied likewise. 'This is Takashi."

"Nice to meet you," the angel said with his head bowed.

"Yes," the shinigami said. He noticed their fingers laced together as they held hands.

"Oh," he said. "Are you two…" Tsuzuki took a moment to form how to ask this. "Are you two dating?" he asked.

"Dating?" Takashi asked in a puzzled tone.

"Is she your girlfriend?" the shinigami asked.

"Girl…friend?" the angel asked. Charlotte rested her head on his shoulder.

"No, no," she said. "He's my roommate."

"I see," Tsuzuki said. However, he saw it differently.

"So what are you here for?" he asked.

"A check-up," Charlotte said. "You?"

"I just wanted to ask a couple of questions," the shinigami answered. He studied the pair as he spoke. Charlotte reminded him of Anna personality-wise. They both looked like ice queens at first glance. Like himself with his wife, Tsuzuki guessed that Takashi opened up the warm-hearted girl in Charlotte. The angel's whole demeanor around her said, "I will protect her with all of my being." The Shinigami could tell that Takashi would love Charlotte in sickness and in health. Too bad the angel himself couldn't grasp this. He didn't seem to understand the concept of romance and courtship. It tempted Tsuzuki to take him aside and talk to him. Maybe inspire him to voice his true feelings to Charlotte. "Sorry to keep you waiting!" Watari called out as he returned. Both parties looked up as the scientist pulled out a flash drive and plugged it into his laptop.

"Now, who first?" he asked. Tsuzuki raised his hand.

"Good," his friend said. "I have something to show you." He opened a file on the flash drive. "I took a live sample of Anna's core for comparison on my case," he explained, "You need to look at this." Tsuzuki walked up to the screen.

"What the…?" he asked when it first caught his attention, "What… What is that?" The document depicted a live video feed of crystal-like sphere, pulsing and glowing bright pink.

"I put a small shikigami in the sample as a camera to monitor it," Watari said. "I went to check the sample this morning and found this."

"What does it all mean?" Charlotte asked. Watari clicked for a close up on the center of the sample. Tsuzuki's eyes widened in fear at what he saw. The center had a little fox face on it.

"The core's been taken over by a parasite," Watari put in simple terms. He turned his attention to Tsuzuki.

"Be honest with me, Tsuzuki," he said sternly. "Has the Mother started to take over to fulfill the curse?" Tsuzuki lowered his head.

"Yes," he murmured.

"Tsuzuki!" Watari gasped. "When did this happen?"

"This morning," the other shinigami admitted. "After her and me… you know, last night." He looked the scientist desperately in the eye. "Watari, please!" he pleaded. "Tell me how to fix this!" The scientist gave him a sharp nod.

"You didn't have to ask," he replied. "I'm on it." Tsuzuki bowed his head.

"Thank you, friend," he said in a low voice. Watari smiled as a response.

"Sure," he said, "Anything for a friend."


	9. Newbie Shinigami

_Chapter Nine: Newbie Shinigami:_

"Huh?" I asked, "What just happened?" I looked at my fingertips. _Am I… dead?_

"Correct!" I heard over my head. I looked up and saw the glow of candles in front of me. The bright lights nearly blinded me so much that I had to shield my eyes. It was then that I remembered what happened moments before. I died in that train crash as it sped off of the tracks and careened into the wall. The last thing I saw was blood before it got dark. The images wouldn't stop playing in my mind as I shook my head.

"No," I murmured. "What about my family? I can't leave them behind!" I tried to see through the many lit candles ahead of me. "Can't I go back?" I asked.

"I'm sorry," the voice told me, "I can't return you to your old life." My heart sank when I heard that. I shook my head.

"No," I mumbled.

"I'm sorry," the voice told me. My hands began to shake as I went pale.

"But," I murmured, "But what about my family? Who will take care of them?" A soft breeze blew by me. I felt a pair of hands embrace me from behind.

"I can help you there," a small voice whispered, "Just answer one question for me." I drew my eyes shut.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Why should I make you a shinigami?" it asked, "You'll have to bring in more dead like yourself. Tearing them away from their families and lovers, can you live with that?" I never could lie in life and I wasn't going to start now.

"No," I admitted.

"No?" the voice asked. I shook my head.

"No," I repeated, "I don't have the heart to do it."

"Then tell me why," it ordered. I only have one answer in mind.

"My family," I said.

"Your family?" I heard it ask. I swallowed as I gathered my thoughts.

"My family is my motive for going on," I answered. "Even in death I want to watch over them, so, please, let me find a way to stay by them." The hands released my body in silence. The candlelight dimmed to reveal two men in fancy suits.

"Come with us," the first one replied. I watched them walk down the hall. I followed behind rather confused. We didn't speak for the whole trip. I looked around unsettled.

"Hey, where exactly are we going?" I muttered to their backs. I didn't get an answer from either one. I lowered my eyes to the floor.

"Okay," I mumbled. The hall darkened behind us. _Creepy_, I thought as I looked around at where the walls should have been. We came up to a door at the end of the hall. The men saw me inside. I bowed my head at them in the doorway.

"Thanks, I guess," I mumbled. I walked inside when they said nothing. My interview didn't last long; it felt like an actual job interview. I answered a few questions the higher-ups gave me and got assigned to Kyoto under Watari Yutaka's guidance. The best part about this deal so far? I get to be near my family in Kyoto.


	10. Fighting Myself

_Chapter Ten: Fighting Myself:_

Hisoka sat in his room around lunchtime. His bitterness came back to beat him again.

"Just look at you," Kohaku cooed. "Just look at you." Hisoka lifted his head and saw the kitsune grinning at him. The shinigami rolled his eyes.

"Don't you ever give up?" he asked. It smirked as it narrowed its eyes.

"Aw, Hisoka-kun," the child said. "You're so mean!"

"Go away!" the shinigami hissed. "I'm here because of you!" Kohaku's lips twitched into a smile.

"Is that really it?" the child asked. "Or is it because of your partner's love for his wife?" Hisoka gritted his teeth.

"Shut up!" he hissed. The kitsune leered at him.

"O-h!" it said, "So I am right!"

"Shut up!"

"Why should I? You know it's the truth! Am I right?"

"I said shut up!"

Kohaku gave him a crooked smiled, "But you know I am right. Just admit it, that lady has a point."

Hisoka flopped back on his bead. Kohaku lied on top of its prey.

"Aw," it cooed, "Admit it, you are jealous of Anna." Hisoka turned his head away. Kohaku leaned down to his neck.

"You're so stubborn," the child whispered. "That's what I like about you. But seriously, say it. Say you are jealous of Anna."

"No, I'm not!" Hisoka barked.

"Look me in the eye and say it," the kitsune commanded. "Look me in the eyes and say it!" Hisoka froze when he heard that. Lying wouldn't work, Kohaku could see through them. Hisoka frowned at his disposition.

"Fine," he mumbled. Kohaku leered at him.

"Hm?" it asked. The shinigami clutched his sheets.

"Tell me something," he said. "Why are you still around?" Kohaku looked down at him when it heard that question.

"Hisoka-kun," the kitsune cooed. "You already know why."

"No, I don't," the prey grumbled. The kitsune turned the boy's face to it and leaned down for a kiss.

"I feed off your jealousy and displeasure," the child murmured. Hisoka's eyes widened in alarm as their lips touched. He pushed it off as fast as he could. Kohaku sat on the floor smirking.

"Why so cruel, my love?" the kitsune cooed. Hisoka sat up glaring at it.

"Don't call me that!" he snapped. Kohaku pretended to look hurt.

"But why not?" the child asked.

"You don't love me!" the shinigami snapped. "You just love to toy with me!"

"But I'm not lying," Kohaku insisted. "As long as you stay jealous and angry at Anna, I will stay and love you." Hisoka rose to his feet frowning.

"Hey, where are you going?" Kohaku asked.

"I have therapy!" the shinigami barked as he headed out the door. Kohaku smiled as the heavy wood slid shut.

"That's okay," the kitsune child muttered. "I will be right here waiting."

In the hallway, Hisoka heard, "I know how to beat it." The shinigami looked to see a girl about twelve years old with long red hair waiting just inches from him. She bowed her head.

"I've been expecting you," she said with elegance.


	11. The Root of Darkness

_Chapter Eleven: The Root of Darkness:_

_July 10th, 1983._

Daisuke sat alone on Kato's porch. Baby Anna slept in her crib in his room. He had just put her down for a nap. So much weighed on the dad's mind in this alone time.

"Hey!" someone shouted in real life. Daisuke looked up to see Kato walking up the driveway with bags of groceries in his arms.

"Could you give me a hand?" he asked. The boy slowly nodded once he got the message. Daisuke walked over and took a bag. Once they got the groceries inside, the men sat on the porch. Daisuke looked out on the yard.

"What's on your mind?" Kato asked. The young man turned rather puzzled.

"Hm?" he asked.

"You've been pretty quiet," the old man pointed out. Daisuke shrugged his shoulders.

"Not much," he said, "Just about my daughter and her mother." The old man raised an eyebrow at him.

"Her mother?" he asked.

"Yeah," he said nodding. The boy paused and glanced around for a brief second.

"Can you keep a secret?" he asked. Kato gave him a rather perplexed look.

"Sure," he answered. "What is it?" Daisuke leaned into the old man's ear.

"Her mother's still alive," he whispered. Kato turned his head with his jaw dropped.

"What?" he asked, "So, you mean…?" Daisuke nodded as he prepared to expose the truth of Anna's birth.

_July 5th, 2010, 6:00 p.m._

Tsuzuki decided to go to the root of the storm for the answers. He remembered that Anna got a call from San Diego three days ago. Learning about her mother sent his wife into a shock that led the kitsune to take over. Yet, he didn't have the full story.

Tsuzuki waited until his wife was in the shower. He found the phone on the coffee table in the living room. The shinigami unlocked it and scrolled through the dialed call list. His eyes stayed locked on the list as he listened for down the hall.

_Come on_, he thought. _Who called her that day?_ He paused when he found his answer.

"Becky Campbell," he read on the screen. Tsuzuki looked down the hall. This would have to be quick. The shinigami dialed the number. He moved to the balcony outside as the other line rang.

"What is it?" a tired voice asked, "It's two in the morning here! Make it quick!" A sweat drop formed on Tsuzuki's head as he remembered that San Diego was in a completely different time zone than Tokyo in Chijou. Too late to turn back now, he might as well say it.

"It's Tsuzuki," the shinigami said.

"Tsuzuki?" Becky repeated. "What's wrong?" Tsuzuki stepped back in shock. _She's speaking Japanese?_ he thought. Okay, that would make things easier for this.

"Do you remember a few days ago?" he asked, "When you called Anna?" Becky paused on the other line.

"No…" she mumbled.

"It was about Anna's mother," he pushed.

"What about it?" the American woman asked.

"What exactly did you tell her?" the man asked. Becky groaned the phone.

"I don't remember," she muttered.

"Please try to remember!" Tsuzuki pleaded. "This is important!" Becky took a moment to think.

"Well, I came to over to check on Mrs. Parkman," she began. "I found her sitting in the living room talking to herself about random things."

"Okay," the shinigami said, nodding.

"I asked what she was talking about," Becky went on. "She slurred out that she was Anna's mother."

"And that's it?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Well, I did ask her about it the next morning," Becky said. "Funny thing, Ms. Parkman freaked out and didn't want to talk about it."

"Any idea why?" the shinigami asked.

"Embarrassment, I guess," the American woman said. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Sure," Tsuzuki replied. "Sorry to bother you."

"Bye," Becky said. The shinigami hung up unsatisfied. _Guess I have to go to Daisuke's tapes_, he thought. Tsuzuki went back into the apartment.

Inside, the shower cut off by the time he closed the door. The Shinigami kept up his guard as he crossed into the bedroom and set up Daisuke's tape player in the corner on the floor. After twenty minutes, Tsuzuki found the right tape and hit play.


	12. Daisuke's Sin

_Chapter Twelve: Daisuke's Sin:_

_July 10th, 1983._

Daisuke lied back onto the porch. "Where to begin with my story?" he asked.

"Any way you can," Kato answered.

"Okay…" the boy mumbled. He settled himself in place. The boy closed his eyes.

"It began after I ran away from home," Daisuke started, "I had just moved into student housing. I met two American girls during summer session. They both came from military families."

"Was one of them her mother?" Kato asked. Daisuke nodded in regret.

"I didn't want to continue my family's curse," he lamented, "I vowed not to have any children."

"So what happened?" the old man asked, "Love? Alcohol?" Daisuke shook his head humiliated. Kato became intrigued by this point.

"Then… what happened?" he asked. Daisuke's face burned red as mumbled the truth under his breath.

"I'm sorry?" Kato asked. The boy looked him straight in the eye.

_July 5th, 2010, 6:00 p.m._

Daisuke's Tape Entry #129:

_7/10/83_

-Daisuke-

He said, "My name is Kimoto Daisuke. I am eighteen years old and a single father. I have committed a sin against myself last year. I vowed to never keep up my family's curse. I hoped to let part of it die with me. Fate has a funny way of betraying me.

"It happened shortly after I ran away from home. I just wanted to start fresh and distance myself from my family. The school provided me with housing on campus. I even started to make new friends. Then on June thirteenth, 1982, I met two American girls. Their names were Allison Parkman and Daisy Kessler. Both of them lived in Camp Zama, an American Army Base in Kanagawa. They would take the train to Kobe on their days off from school and weekends.

"Allison was a brash loner. Her outward stoic appearance scared little children. She didn't seem to have any other friends besides Daisy. Some of my friends didn't even approach her. I couldn't understand how she and Daisy became friends in the first place.

"Daisy, on the other hand, was as sweet as they came. Pretty shy girl may I add. I guess that's why I liked her so much. I met Daisy and Allison while I was buying dinner. Daisy waited outside the store for her friend. I remember thinking she looked so cute in that yellow and green watercolor sundress. I found myself walking over and talking to her. Daisy was a nice girl. She and Allison moved to Japan two months ago. They were visiting a friend in Kobe for the weekend.

"It didn't take much from there to click. Through visits and phone calls, we started to date. On the twenty-first of June, I proposed to Daisy. I know it sounds silly, but I was like a little boy in love. She hesitated at first, but said yes. Now, I told her I didn't want any children. Despite having reservations about my request, she agreed. However, one summer night made it come undone."

-Side One Ends-

Tsuzuki flipped over the tape and hit play.

-Tape Resumes-

"I remember that whole day on July first. Unbeknownst to me, my baby sister, Kirika-chan, was brain dead at the hospital. That night, I agreed to a double date with Daisy and Allison. I wondered how this would work out. I doubt anyone would go out with Allison. To my surprise, she managed to get a guy for the evening. He looked rather panicked to be with her. To be honest, I felt sorry for that guy.

"The date turned out to be rather nice. Daisy and I enjoyed each other's company. The other guy warmed up to us almost instantly. Allison stayed quiet for most of the night. I remember that I felt sorry for her."

_Daisuke paused on the tape._

"It's really embarrassing to repeat. Sometime later, it began to rain. I took everyone back to my dorm. My roommate was out visiting his family while the school was closed for a paint job. It should have ended there.

"However, it took an unfortunate turn.

"Allison and I stayed up talking. She just wanted to be left alone. I could understand how she felt. I can't really explain how it occurred. I guess my kitsune seduced and then we…"

_Daisuke paused again on tape._

"I cringe remembering it. But yes, I slept with Allison Parkman. I still embarrass myself thinking about it. I… I… I… I think I need a bath. Excuse me."

End of Tape Entry #129

An elegant finger hit stop on the tape player. Tsuzuki looked up to see his wife standing behind him in a towel dripping wet and sneering.

"I detest that man's voice," she hissed. The shinigami stared at the woman. In a normal situation, he would be all over that curvy Junoesque body instantly. However, she was not his Anna-chan. Anna loved her father. This woman only knew how to spew venom. His wife snickered.

"Daisuke was a bad man after all," she said, "Cheating on his fiancée with her best friend. Shameful."

"He didn't want to!" Tsuzuki snapped.

"He still did it," the Mother pointed out. Her husband glared at her. Meanwhile, she sized him up in her own eyes. He didn't look it, but this shinigami could be quite useful. Why else would Anna be so drawn to him? The woman smirked to herself.

_I will devour him!_ she thought.


End file.
